The Ministry of Packing Lunches

It starts early. The loud rumble of three crazy boys. The scramble for clean water bottles. The question—do we have enough peanut butter for sandwiches this week? This year, I’ll have a fifth grader, a third grader, and my youngest heading into his last year of preschool—each with their own routines, moods, and very specific sandwich preferences. And somewhere between cutting crusts and zipping lunchboxes, I’ve started to realize something: these small moments matter. Packing lunches isn’t glamorous. It doesn’t get noticed. But it’s where love shows up in the details. And this year, I’m realizing there might be more to it than just packing food. Maybe—even in the chaos—it can be something sacred.

Praying While You Pack
This year, I’m starting something new. As I pack lunches and prep backpacks, I want to be more intentional about praying for my kids. Not just in the big moments, but in the quiet, everyday ones—right there at the kitchen counter with a sandwich in one hand and a juice box in the other.

Because our children are growing up in a world so different from the one we knew.
There’s more access. More pressure. More to navigate emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. They’re encountering things we never imagined facing at their age—social comparison, school safety concerns, anxiety, identity questions, and constant noise from every direction.

As I think about what our kids are facing, one burden that’s weighed heavy on my heart this summer is the growing gun violence in our communities—especially in neighborhoods close to where my husband and I grew up. It’s heartbreaking. I personally know someone who lost a child to this kind of tragedy, and it changes everything. It stays with you. These aren’t just headlines. They’re names. Faces. Futures. It’s a heavy reminder that our children need prayer—for more than just good grades or good behavior, but for protection, peace, and their very lives.

Even though I can’t control every challenge our boys will face, I can cover them in prayer.

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Praying for Our Children
I pray they feel seen. That they walk in confidence and kindness. I pray for courage when they’re unsure, and peace when the world feels overwhelming. I ask God to remind them of who they are—deeply loved, chosen, and created on purpose. And I also pray for us as parents. That we would know how to support them in the ways they need. That we would listen well. That we would speak life, extend grace, and be present—even in the rush.

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Praying for Their Teachers and School Staff
Our kids’ teachers and school staff are carrying so much. They’re managing academics, behaviors, safety, and sometimes silent battles no one else sees. I pray that their classrooms and hallways are filled with peace, patience, and encouragement to keep showing up—even on the hard days. I pray for their strength, wisdom, and joy. I pray for the bus drivers, the cafeteria workers, the front office team, and every person who crosses paths with my children—that they would feel supported and seen.

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Praying for Their Friendships
Friendships shape so much of our kids’ identity and sense of belonging. I pray they find friends who are kind, brave, and honest. I pray for protection from harmful influences and courage to stand up when needed. And I ask God to help me see when something is off, and to guide those conversations with wisdom. Friendships can be a source of great joy—or deep hurt. So I pray that wherever my kids are in that spectrum, God meets them with comfort and connection.

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A Final Word for Every Parent in Every Season
Whether you’re packing a lunchbox for a little one who still needs help with their shoes—or waving goodbye to a teen driving off with their own keys—your prayers matter. You’re not just raising kids. You’re covering them. You’re planting seeds. You’re speaking truth. You’re showing up—in all the ordinary, holy ways. So wherever you are in this season—early mornings, late-night texts, or quiet moments in between—I pray you feel encouraged to keep going. Keep praying. Keep loving with intention. You’re doing sacred work, and you’re not doing it alone.

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Join Me: Praying with Intention

I’d love for you to join me in what I’m calling the Lunchbox Challenge. The idea is simple: each day, find a moment—whether you’re packing lunches, filling water bottles, or even loading money onto a lunch account—to pause and pray over a child’s day.

You don’t have to be a parent to take part. Maybe you're an aunt, uncle, grandparent, teacher—or simply someone who cares deeply about the next generation. Our kids need all the love, support, and spiritual covering we can offer.

And if your kids are like mine and are loyal fans of chicken nugget Tuesday, you might not be packing lunch every day—but that doesn’t mean you can’t still join in. I’ll be saying my prayers while packing snacks… or clicking through the lunch account app.

Let’s commit to this small but powerful act together—covering our kids in prayer, one lunch at a time.

To make it simple, I created a free two-page download:

• Page 1 includes Prayer Cards for Parents—short, powerful prayers to help you cover your kids with intention and faith.
• Page 2 features Lunchbox Cards for Kids—a mix of lighthearted jokes and meaningful encouragement to brighten their day and remind them they’re loved.

Click here to download the Lunchbox Prayers & Notes

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Let’s fill their lunchboxes—and their hearts—with more than just food this year.

PS:
As we commit to praying over our children, let’s also invite them to grow in their own prayer life. We can’t be with them every moment—when they face a tough test, a challenge with friends, or a moment of anxiety. But we can teach them that they’re never alone. They can talk to God anytime, anywhere—even from the lunch table or hallway.
What a gift to help them see that prayer isn’t just for bedtime—it’s a way to carry God with them through it all.

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